Canon  Crest 

Park 

REDLANDS,  CAL 

WINTER  HOMES 

OF 

ALERED  H.  and  ALBERT  K.  SMILEY 

Reprinted  from  Out  West  Mag-azine,  March,  1903. 


ORANGE  GROVES  AND  MOUNTAINS  FROM  CREST  ROAp 


CANON  CREST  PARK. 

k 

OT  often  in  a generation  does  there  come  upon  the  mar- 
ket such  a home-place  as  Canon  Crest  Park  — almost 
better  known  as  Smiley  Heights  — which  has  been 
through  the  winters  of  nearly  half  a generation  the 
abiding-place  of  twin  brothers  — A.  H.  and  A.  K. 
Smiley.  A noble  site  in  the  beginning,  developed, 
beautified,  perfected  year  after  year,  so  far  as  loving 
skill  and  ample  means  could  accomplish  — it  is  today  unique  and  unsur- 
passable, even  in  California,  land  of  surpassing  homes. 

WHY  IT  is 

FOR  SATE.  — . 


The  reason 
this  beautiful 
domain  is  now 
offered  to  the 
public  is  by  no 
means  that  its 
owners  are 
weary  of  the 
home  they 
have  been 
molding  to 
their  tastes  for 
so  long,  or  that 
they  prefer  to 
live  elsewhere. 

But  the  recent 

death  of  Mr.  A.  H.  Smiley  compels  the  sale  of  his  part  of  the  estate. 
And  everyone  who  is  familiar  with  the  property  — which  has  from  the 
beginning  been  considered  and  treated  as  a whole  — will  agree  with  the 
surviving  brother  that  it  ought  to  be  sold  as  a whole. 


where  it  is. 

To  the  tens  of  thousands  of  tourist  visitors  who  have  come  to  Redlands 
these  many  years,  Canon  Crest  Park  has  been  the  place  which  must  be  visited 
whatever  else  was  missed,  and  returned  to  again  land  again  if  the  stay 
were  prolonged.  By  reason  of  the  generous  public  spirit!  of  the  owners, 
this  private  estate  has  been  open  to  the  public  almost  as  fully  as  though 


RESIDENCE  OP'  ALFRED 


5 


REDLANDS,  CALIFORNIA 


MOUNT 
SAN  BERNARDINO 

(TWO  miles  high) 


it  had  be- 
longed to 
the  whole  com- 
munity. Hying 
right  across  a lofty  ridge,  a mile  in  length, 
and  including  practically  the  whole  of  it,  the 
view  on  one  side  is  sharply  down  the  steep  declivities  of  the  San  Timoteo 
Canon,  350  feet  below  and  beyond,  to  the  wilderness  rimmed  with  rugged 
ridges,  rising  to  an  elevation  of  4,000  feet.  On  the  other  side  the  vision 
sweeps  more  deliberately  along  a gentle  downward  slope  across  the  miles 
of  orange  groves  among  which  the  clean  and  beautiful  city  of  Redlands 
nestles,  then  up  to  the  grandest  peaks  of  Southern  California’s  majestic 
sierras.  Here,  surrounded  by  a tropical  vegetation  in  mid-winter,  one 
looks  out  on  a complete  circle  of  mountains  whose  snow-capped  sum- 
mits rise  often  to  an  elevation  of  10,000  to  12,000  feet.  It  is  a city  of 
churches  and  schools,  with  an  extensive  public  library  housed  in  the  finest 
building  in  the  State  used  for  such  purpose,  and  situated 
in  a public  park  of  some  eight  acres  extent  imthe  center 
of  Redlands,  both  a gift  from  A.  K.  Smiley  to  the  city. 

Through  one  great 
semicircle,  the  mighty 
mountain  wall  is  broken 
in  two  places  only  — by 
the  Cajon  and  San  Gor- 
gonio  passes.  On  the 
northwest  is  rugged  San 
Antonio  ; on  the  north- 
east the  giant  peaks  San 
Bernardino  and  San 
Gorgonio,  and  on  the 


MARGUERITES  ON  PALM  KNOLL 


yOOKING  TOWARD  CAJON 


REDLANDS,  CALIFORNIA 


7 


southeast  San  Jacinto,  most  majes- 
tic of  all  these  superb  moun- 
tains. At  all  seasons,  in  the 
wonderfully  plastic  and 
sensitive  atmosphere  of 
Southern  California,  but 
especially  in  the  winter, 
when  covered  with  snow, 
under  the  varying-  effects 
of  sunshine  and  cloud,  these 
mountains  are  a constant  study  and 
delig-ht  to  every  lover  of  nature. 

thb  near-by  city. 

For  its  superb  climate,  its  remarkable  ALONG  GLEN  ROAD 

scenery  and  the  quiet  but  convincing- 

charm  of  its  atmosphere  — social  as  well  as  physical  — Redlands  has 
long-  held  hig-h  place  in  the  affections  of  those  who  seek  a delig-htful 
winter  home.  (Incidentally  it  may  be  noted  that  its  orang-es  are  not  to  be 
beaten.)  It  is  natural,  therefore,  that  it  should  have  drawn  to  itself  a 
citizenship  larg-ely  from  those  who  know  what  the  best  is  — who  desire  it 
— who  can  and  will  pay  for  it.  Its  delightful  homes  are  filled,  for  the  most 
part,  with  men  and  women  whose  standards  of  culture,  of  intellectual  at- 
tainment, of  morals  and  of  religion,  are  high. 

Few  cities  in  the  United  States  are 
so  “solid”  financially, 
and  with  this 
goes  — as  is 
unfortunately 


GOLD  OF  OPHIR  ROSES — MILLIONS  OF  THEM 


MIRROR  LAKE 


REDLANDS,  CALIFORNIA 


11 


too  seldom  the 
case  — a princely 
civic  pride  and 
an  unself-seek- 
ing harmony 
of  effort  in  all 
movements  for  the  up- 
building of  the  city.  That 
it  is  lighted  by  electricity,  knit  together  by  trolley  lines  and  other- 
wise provided  with  such  things  as  modern  cities  have  for  health,  comfort 
and  convenience,  is  a matter  of  course.  Churches  and  schools  also  may  be 
taken  for  granted,  while  the  entire  absence  of  saloons,  though  not  wholly 
exceptional  in  Southern  California,  is  still  worth  mentioning.  Of  the  large 
and  well  selected  Public  Library  it  may  be  said  that  it  contains  over 
seven  thousand  volumes,  to  which  are  added,  each  year,  about  fifteen 
hundred  books.  The  value  of  the  park  and  building  together  is  some 


$60,000. 

THE  SIZE  OF  THE  ESTATE  AND  WHAT  IT  HOIyDS. 

Within  the  boundary  lines  of  Canon  Crest  Park  are  included  more  than 
two  hundred  acres  of  land.  The  commanding  location  and  the  wonderful 
views  were  of  course  there  when  it  was 
finally  chosen,  after  long  and  careful 
search,  as  the  finest  home-site  in  Southern 
California.  But  in  most  other  respects 
the  Park,  as  it  stands  today,  has  been 
created  by  years  of  patient  and  wisely- 
planned  labor.  It  is  not  much  of  an  ex- 
aggeration to  say  that  all  the  world  has 
been  taxed  for  its  choicest  ornamental 
trees  and  shrubs.  Here  are  palms  from 


SAN  TIMOTKO  CANON  AND  S.  P.  R.  K.  WINTER  CARNATIONS  IN  FOREGROUND 


REDLANDS,  CALIFORNIA 


13 


SIERRA  MADRE  RANGE  FROM  RESIDENCE 
OF  A.  K.  SMILEY 


South  America, 

Africa  and  the 
Islands  of  the 
Pacific,  along- 
side of  those 
which  are  native 
to  California  ; euca- 
lypti in  many  varie- 
ties, and  the  curious 
b o 1 1 1 e-brush  from 
Australia  ; the  olean- 
der from  Japan,  and  the 
camphor  tree  from  China  ; the 
Cedar  of  Lebanon  from  North 
Africa,  and  the  Deodar  Cedar  from  date  palm  on  lawn 

the  Himalayas  ; genista  and  English  Laurel  from  the  shores  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, and  heath  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  ; the  flowering  peach 
from  Persia  ; the  banana  from  India,  and  the  rubber  tree  from  the  damp 
forests  of  tropical  Africa. 

Here  are  Cherokee  roses  lining  the  road  for  hundreds  of  yards,  and,  in 
their  blossoming  season,  one  white  blaze  made  up  of  millions  of  flowers. 
Here  are  great  banks  of  callas  — the  treasured  indoor-plant  of  the  list  — 
sending  up  their  fragrance  to  the  January  sky  from  thousands  of  their 

stately,  spotless  cups.  Here  are  great  masses 
of  pansies,  carnations,  marguerites,  poppies 
(the  “cup  of  gold”  of  the  earlier  Cal- 
ifornian), and  many  another  old-time 


SAN 

IMOTEO 

CANON 


I 


TANGLEWOOD 

PATH 


AMONG 
THE 
PINES, 
CREST  ROAD 


15 


REDLANDS,  CALIFORNIA 


favorite,  interspersed  with  scores  of 
less  familiar  varieties.  Everywhere 
shrubs  and  trees  have  been  disposed 
with  an  eye  to  the  most  striking-  and 
artistic  effects  of  color  and  foliage. 

Everywhere  the  flowering  plants  have 
been  so  placed  as  to  provide  an  increas- 
ing variety  of  bloom  from  one  year’s 
end  to  another — a limitless  wealth 
of  color,  fragrance  and  beauty.  And 
some  of  the  beauty  is  made  to  serve 
distinctly  utilitarian  purposes  as  well  ; 
for  there  are  about  fifty  acres  of 
thrifty  orange  trees  and  many  lemons 
and  olives. 

All  in  all,  this  magnificent  park  is 

SCENE  FROM  ROAD 

without  serious  question  the  most 

original  in  conception,  the  most  perfect  in  detail,  the  most  fascinating-  in 
the  scenery  which  it  commands,  of  all  the  beautiful  places  made  possible 
by  the  marvelously  fertile  soil  and  balmy  climate  of  Southern  California. 

the  water  supply. 

The  irrigation  system  on  this  property  was  most  carefully  planned  and 
equipped.  A large  supply  of  water  is  brought  from  the  Santa  Ana  river 
and  Mill  creek,  whose  sources  reach  back  to  the  loftiest  of  the  snowclad 
peaks.  These  are  the  two  larg-est  rivers  in  Southern  California,  and  from 
them  this  property  is  entitled  to  a larg-e  and  constant  supply  of  water. 
Connected  with  the  estate,  and  belonging-  to  it,  is  also  a very  valuable 
pumping  plant  in  the  San  Timoteo  Canon.  This  has  a capacity  of 
twenty-five  inches  uniform  flow,  and  would  be  an  important  resource  in 
a possible  season  of  drouth. 


the  buildings. 


There  are  two  residences  with  stables  and  outbuilding’s  complete,  one  in 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  park,  with  a choice  view  over  the  city  of  Red- 
lands, and  the  other  on  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  with  a broad  outlook  in 
every  direction. 

A network  of  paths  runs  through 
the  park  in  every  direction,  and 
about  three  miles  of  roadway  have 
been  constructed,  at  a 
cost  of  many  thousands 
of  dollars,  gran- 
ite retaining 
walls  and  gut- 
ters for  carrying 
storm  waters 


ACROSS  MIRROR  LAKE 


16 


CANON  CREST  PARK 


( 


\ 


safely  away  having-  been  provided  wherever  necessary.  Something  like  a 
mile  of  this  marvelous  drive  leads  along  the  narrow  crest  of  the  Heights, 
with  the  swift  plunge  into  San  Timoteo  Canon  on  the  one  hand  and  the 
broad  outlook  across  the  smiling  city  and  its  setting  of  orange  groves  at 
the  other.  Then  it  drops  into  dense  woods  — a forest  with  trees  fifty  to  a 
hundred  feet  in  height,  yet  barely  a dozen  years  old.  It  skirts  a gleaming 
lake,  heavily  bordered  with  flowering  shrubs.  It  passes  a grove  of  many 
varieties  of  palms.  It  winds  between  beds  of  roses  and  carnations  and 
other  brilliantly  blossoming  plants.  And  always  the  snowclad  mountains 
loom  up  in  the  distance  — a scene  unmatched  as  a whole  in  America  or 
Europe. 

Adjoining  the  Park  and  between  it  and  the  business  section  of  Redlands 
lie  the  costliest  and  most  beautiful  residences  in  the  city.  Such  villa  sites 
as  remain  unoccupied  command  very  high  prices.  The  city  may  be  quickly 
reached  by  the  good  trolley-line  which  runs  right  to  the  Park  entrance. 

“ who’u  buy  ? ” 

Plainly,  this  splendid  estate  is  not  within  the  reach  of  a slender  pocket- 
book.  It  is  a home  which  a prince  might  envy,  ready  for  instant  occupa- 
tion. It  is  a property  which  could  not  be  even  partly  duplicated  except  at 
the  cost  of  years  of  study  and  effort,  and  large  i’sums  of  money  expended 
with  the  utmost  skill  and  taste.  It  cannot  be  duplicated  at  all  in  the  point 
of  its  chiefest  charm  — its  incomparable  location.  The  irrigation  system 
and  the  planting  have  been  so  carefully  planned  that  the  labor  of  two  men 
is  amply  sufficient  for  the  proper  care  of  trees,  shrubs,  flowers,  lawns,  and 
all  the  ornamental  grounds.  And  once  acquired,  it  will  not  be  a matter  of 
steady,  unreturned  outlay,  since  the  annual  income  from  the  sale  of  oranges 
and  lemons  pays  a fair  return  on  its  price. 

The  title  is  perfect. 


A.  K.  SMILEY 


lor  Further  Information 
write  to 

BOARD  OF  TRADE 


REDLANDS 

CALIFORNIA 


NOTE:--This  property  is 
now  withdrawn  from  sale,  as 
A.  K.  Smiley  has  purchased  his 
late  brother’s  portion  of  the 
estate . 


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OUT  W€QT  CO.,  PRINTERS  AND  ENGRAVERS 
LOS  ANGELES.  CALIFORNIA 


